Transcript of head coach Rex Ryan's news conference following Thursday's midday practice at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center:
Injuries. Brandon Moore was limited today, so instead of [not participating in practice], just like we said, tomorrow he'll be full. He looked good. Marquice Cole did not practice again, very questionable there. That's with that knee. Guys that were limited today: Mike DeVito, Marcus Dixon, Brandon Moore, Eric Smith. Expect all of them to go. Guys that were full: Vlad Ducasse, knee, Shonn Green, rib, Nick Mangold, ankle, Joe McKnight, elbow, Calvin Pace, groin, Matt Slauson, knee.
On how Joe McKnight is adjusting to his brace…
He looks good. I tell you where you really notice him. I told him this week he's been running scout team. Playing like he's [Eagles RB LeSean] McCoy. I said, "Well, what's his running style?" I said just don't get hit. Don't get touched by anybody. So he's running like that. We're thinking about him doing that all the time because he looks great out there. But he's moving around. He actually fell on it today. Ran into a safety and actually went to the ground. So I think that's good that it happened because he feels comfortable. We're progressing. We put a pad out there, and we started on knee position, falling on it, then he's going to be up falling on it. I think he's going to be just fine. So that was a long answer for a quick question.
On how good Eagles RB LeSean McCoy is…
Oh, I mean, he's pretty darn good. When you look at him, the thing that really gets you is his stop/start, change of direction, all those type of things. Really a scary kind of guy. I always say it's like a punt return because they have unusual quickness and all of that change of direction. He's just lined up in the back field doing it.
On if he's played a team with as much team speed on offense as the Eagles…
Oh, I don't know. Going back, I mean I'm not sure. All on one team, I'm not sure if we have.
On how he contends with that team speed…
Well, I think you have to do a great job. You have to be sound fundamentally. You have to kind of get the old philosophy, get that picket fence going, and get them going east and west. But sometimes they'll blow the top off it. So you've got to do a great job of pursuit. Every play's a pursuit drill, and that's it. With these receivers, they are big play receivers as well, so this is an unusual group. Now we're fortunate because we have some unusual defensive players, so I think that's where we have the advantage over most defenses. We can match up, I feel, better than most teams can.
On if they need to have a spy against Michael Vick…
I played against Michael Vick before. I actually coached against him, never played against him [laughter]. Whew. It's much easier to coach against him than play against him, I think. So this isn't the first time that I've had to go up against him. We've done OK against him in the past. But again, you're never going to be comfortable until the bus is heading home and the game's over. He's a scary athlete.
On what he means when he says that Vick can throw a "strawberry through a battleship"…
Well, you've watched him throw. He can fire it, man, there is no question. I bet you he can throw a baseball a hundred miles an hour, probably. Maybe the Yankees should sign him. I'm not saying get him out of the league. Get him out of football. Get him over there.
On who played Vick on the scout team this week…
The lefty thing works good on passes, but we're mixing in [Kevin] O'Connell and [Mark] Brunell, and then we've also done, you guys might have seen, I had the defensive line and some pass rushers out there. I put some rabbits where I had [Isaiah] Trufant and guys like that out there running, simulating him trying to break contain and us trying to box him in.
We do that. I always do that ever since I remember my brother was with Oakland as defensive coordinator. Al Davis said, "Is this guy a good running quarterback?" Yeah, he's the best running quarterback. "Really?" Hmm. "So it's important to keep him from running?" Yeah, yeah, that's true. "Well, why wouldn't you have a running drill at quarterback?" So I'm like, OK. So I found that out. I just put them in there now. But we do it every time we go against them. We have a guy simulate it, and Trufant did a really good job.
On how the team has been able to have success in December and January…
I think it starts with the people you have on your team. I always like to have a big running back. I think that helps you, in these later games. I also think that the way we set up everything from the way we handle our strength and conditioning. We actually improve some of our strength drills throughout the year. We do corrective type things as well, and obviously Bill Hughan's the guy to talk to about that. But we're fixing things, apparently. We give them time off the way we have our trainers and our masseuses and chiropractors, and everything we provide our players pays off this time of year. I truly believe it. I think we're fresher than most teams that we play.
On facing a team that uses as many shovel passes as the Eagles do…
Well, they have a little package. Any time you get running quarterbacks and explosive type athletes, even in college when we go against them, there are some packages that you'll run. You'll run sprint pass. There is confidence off it. They'll run trap on the inside and shovel pass and different things like that. These guys use it well. Andy Reid's a great coach, and I think he uses his guys, puts them in position to be successful. With their skill sets, when Michael Vick's in the Open space, that's hard to defend. The shovel pass is something that comes off it, so does the trap, so does the direct snap to McCoy, so they do a lot of those different type things.
On how much it helps that the core of the team has been around for multiple seasons…
I believe it is a factor. I think experience, and the fact that we've been there and done that. The fact that we've been able to rally and find ways to get it done and get in there, I think, gives your team confidence. After we got beat by Denver, that might have really maybe wiped out some teams. With us we're like OK. We know what we have to do. We have to roll up our sleeves and get after it. We have to be better on the practice field, better in the meeting rooms and classrooms and that's where it starts.
On if the team's focus is improved since the Denver game…
I think it is. I think everything's been tightened up a little bit. I can't recall the last bad practice. You know I've been honest with you, if we have a poor practice, I'll tell you. I think that's it. I think our guys know that we can't afford slip ups or anything else. We've got to be at our very best, and I think our guys are trying to do that.
On if Vick is more of a complete quarterback now…
I think Marty Mornhinweg has done a great job with him and Andy, obviously. But he is. He'll stay in the pocket more than he ever used to. Back then it was like, hey, there he goes, you know, one of those type of deals. Now he's sitting in there, he's waiting for guys to come open a little more than maybe he used to, and I think he's more accurate with the football. He's really dangerous right now.
On playing Vick in a similar way to how he's played Ben Roethlisberger…
Well, you have to. You have to plaster receivers, that's for sure. If he breaks contain like Ben can extend plays, you have to plaster your receivers in your zone. So I think that's similar. Ben escapes much differently than Vick does. Vick is more of a make you miss in space. Ben's just shake you off type guy, but they both extend plays.
On if facing the Eagles has any special meaning to him…
Oh, yeah. I think what they did was a really classy act. When they recognized my dad a few weeks ago, I think that was awesome. I know our entire family appreciated that, but especially him. That's something I know he still talks about to this day. A really class thing for Jeffrey Laurie to do. But actually, the only thing that's special to me is if we win. I'm going in there expecting to get booed and all that kind of jazz. That's fine with me. We're going in there to try to accomplish something that's going to be tough to do. But we have to get a win, and that's the only reason we're heading down there. Will it be special? Maybe it will be afterwards. I don't know.
On if he feels this team can be dangerous in the playoffs given their experience…
I think so. When you look at, we talk about it all the time. You know, I think there's benefit of going through the playoffs and gaining that experience. Without question there is benefit to that. While no team has played in more playoff games than the New York Jets have over a two year period, not Green Bay, not anybody. That's going to help us. We have to get there first, obviously, but that could make us dangerous.
The fact that we're the No. 1 red zone [touchdown] team in the league. The fact that we're built to win games in December and January with the way we attack people offensively. Our philosophy of runs and completions. And then our defense, I think our defense is starting to hit their stride. We want to be that dominant defense.
Obviously we have some big tests in front of us but I like our football team. I said it from day one obviously, and I think this team can do it.
On how Brodney Pool has stepped in this week in terms of communication…
I don't look at Brodney as the new guy. We've gone through it before. He started 12 games last year in the regular season. All three playoff games. We're very fortunate that we have Brodney and Eric [Smith] right now after losing a starter in Jimmy Leonhard. But if we have to go to somebody else, then there might be some problems. But right now we feel definitely confident with those two.
On Eric Smith's knee injury and how it affects having a new starter at safety…
Right, well, it is. But again, we've got to make sure that Eric's ready to go on Sunday and I think that's why we limit him. We don't have to win today. We have to win on Sunday. But the communication, I think it's good. We have to get Tracy Wilson up to speed in case he does have to go in there. He'll be the number one back-up at safety.
On if Tracy Wilson will be the first guy in…
No question.
On if he's more comfortable, this season, having Brodney Pool and Eric Smith as starting safeties…
Yeah, oh yeah. We all know, I think the team knows, how these guys can play. We played really well down the stretch and in the playoffs as well. We definitely feel confident that those guys can get the job done.
On John Conner's play this season…
I think he's humming at a high level right now. I really think he's been playing great lately. I think early in the year there might have been some stretches where he wasn't quite as consistent as we would have liked, but for whatever reason, it has to do, I'm sure, with himself getting it done, putting it upon himself. And Anthony Lynn coaching him I think is a great combination of getting better. When I look at him, I don't know if there's any fullback playing better than him right now. Again, that's just my opinion, but that's something I believe.
